Talkin bout my Jeneration

My moment of Jen. I was born in 1971 and was named the most popular name for that year in the U.S. Jennifer. There were about 10 other Jennifers born the same time I was in Hinsdale, Illinois. My parents even clipped a newspaper article about it and put it in my baby book. So for my entire life, I have had a name that a good portion of other women have had growing up. There were always three of us in my classes in school. Our classmates would come up with nicknames and even teachers would to that fact, to keep us separatley identified. I spell my name Jenni and it has always been that way, even before I could talk. My parents always called me Jenni from the start. But my last name Gurney always warranted that nickname when class was overwhelmed with Jennifers. So Jennifers of the 70s, I feel your pain!

So it is funny to see a fancier name evolution now as a parent - kids' names and spellings run the gamut in my daughter's daycare. Hailey, Hayley, Ashton, Ashlee, Brandon, Braedon, you name it, there is a different spelling for it.

I think it's funny that no matter who we are, we are always trying to differentiate, even with our names. I wonder if Jennifer will ever make the top of the list again as we see the Apples and Cocos and Pilots and Banjos enter the arena. Maybe we will go back to basics as we do in the cycle of life. Hello Jennifers of the world. Reunite! Deep thoughts on a Friday night.

The new Jeneration
http://www.smh.com.au/cgi-bin/common/popupPrintArticle.pl?path=/articles/2004/01/13/1073877820515.html

Popular Baby Names, 1880-2004 Social Security Administration
http://www.ssa.gov/OACT/babynames/

Celebrity Baby Names
http://www.parents.com/articles/pregnancy/babynames_toptrends.jsp?page=4

What's the weirdest celebrity baby name?
http://www.usatoday.com/life/columnist/popcandy/2004-05-25-pop-candy_x.htm

Reference to Jennifers in the 70s
http://www.trixieupdate.com/archives/2004/05/2004_05_18_0950.php

What not to name your baby
http://www.suntimes.com/output/lifestyles/cst-ftr-name31.html

Madison and her sisters
http://www.teevee.org/archive/2002/11/21/